Refrigerator



F. KOBER.

REFRIGERATOR.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 2, 1919.

PatentedSept. 12, 1922.

IN V ENTOR.

Patented Sept. 12, 1922.

ET-ED STATES OFFICE.

REFRIGERATOR.

Application filed September 2, 1919.

To all 1.0720722 it may concern Be it known that I. FERDINAND KoBEn, a citizen of the l nited States. and resident of Milwaukee. in the county of Milwaukee and State of isconsin. have invented new and useful Improvements in Refrigerators, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawin s. which are a part of this specification.

My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in refrigerators, and has for its primary object to provide a refrigerator of such construction that the use of ice or other refrigerant is not required.

Another object of my invention is to provide a refrigerator in which the various compartments will be completely surrounded by a jacket of water.

A further object of this invention is to provide an air space surrounding the water jacket and communicating with the interior of the compartments.

A further object of this invention is to provide means for supplying air to the air space and the compartments and for supply ing water to the water jacket.

A further object of this invention is to provide a refrigerator of the class described having a layer of sand or the like interposed between the air space and the casing wall and having means for maintaining the same in a moist state.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a refrigerator door for closing the compartments and having a water chamber and an air space therein whereby the compartments are completely surrounded by a water jacket and an air space.

WVith the above and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, my invention resides in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts substantially as hereinafter described and more particularly defined by the appended claims. it being understood that such changes in the precise embodiment of the herein-disclosed invention may be made as come within the scope of the claims.

In the accompanying drawing I have illustrated one complete example of the physical embodiment of my invention constructed according to the best mode I have so far de- Serial No. 321.029.

vised for the practical application of the principles thereof, and in which:

F 1g. 1 is a front view of a refrigerator constructed according to my invention, the refrigerator doorbeing depicted as swung open, parts being broken away and in Sec tion to more clearly illustrate the details of construction.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken through the top of the refrigerator on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail sectional view taken through the supply nozzle for the water motor on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2, and

Fig. 4 is a side view, part in elevation and part in section of the supply nozzle depicted in Fig. 3.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawing in which like reference numerals designate like parts throughout the several views, my invention comprises an outer casing 5 having a removable top cover 6, a hinged door 7 closing its open front and a plurality of compartments 8 for receiving food or the like, which compartments are maintained in spaced relation by means of tubular stay-bolts 9.

As best shown in Fig. 1, the compartments are superimposed one above the other and are spaced from the walls of an inner casing 10 by means of tubular stay-bolts 11 carried by the uppermost and lowermost compartments 8. The tubular stay-bolts 9 provide a plurality of air passageways connecting the compartments 8 one with another, and the tubular stay-bolts 11 provide a plurality of air passageways connecting the compartments 8 With an, air space 12 surrounding the water jacket or chamber 13 surrounding each compartment and formed by the spacing of the inner casing 10 by bracket members (not shown) from a shell 14 spaced from the outer casing 5.

The space between the shell 14 and the outer casing 5 is filled with a suitable moisture retaining material preferably sand or the like and provides an insulating layer between the casing and the air space and prevents the heated atmosphere from entering the interior of the refrigerator as will be obvious. As best shown in Figures 1 and 2, the top of the inner casing 10 is spaced from the cover 6 and disposed in this space and mounted upon the top of the casing 10 is an air blower 15 having intake openings 16 in its top communicating with the air space above the casing 10 and a discharge spout 17 directed downwardly as at 18 into the air space 12 at one side of the refrigerator.

The blower 15 has mounted therein suitable vanes or paddles 19 which are rotated by means of a water motor 20 through the medium of a belt or other connection 21, as clearly shown by arrows in Fig. 1, the air enters the blower at 16, is forced thereby down the adjacent side of the air space 12 to the bottom of the air space, some of it passing upwardly through the air passageways in the tubular stay bolts 11 and circulating upwardly through the compartments, and the remaining air circulating up the sides of the air space, where it again enters the blower at 16 to complete the cycle.

The water motor 20 has rotata-bly mounted therein a series of paddles or vanes 22 against which is directed a spray from a force nozzle 23 disposed within an inlet 24 of the motor casing. The nozzle 23 is connected with a source of water supply by means of a pipe 25 and is of unusual de sign, having its discharge end elongated as at 26 and provided with a plurality of spray jets 27 to direct the water against the vanes 22 in a strong but fine stream whereby the amount of water necessary to rotate the vanes will be extremely small.

As best shown in Fig. 1, the outlet or discharge of the water motor 20 communicates with the water jacket 13 by means of openings 28 so that a continuous fresh supply of water is furnished to the water jacket, the excess water flowing outwardly through an outlet 29 which has therein a control valve 30. A spray pipe 31 is disposed above the open top of the space between the shell 14; and the casing 5, and has therein a plurality of spray openings (not shown) for sprinkling the sand disposed therein, and this pipe 31 is coupled with the discharge of the motor 20 by suitable means (not shown).

In order to insure the proper cooling of the compartments in order that their temperature may be maintained at a sufiiciently low mark to keep food or the like disposed therein, it is necessary that a'water jacket completely surround the same, and this is provided by dividing the door 7 into water compartments 32 which communicate with the upper and lower portion of the water chambers by means of flexible tubings 33 and 34 respectively, the tubings 33 and 34 insuring the proper circulation of water through the chambers 32 of the door 7. \Vhen the door is closed the flexible tubing 34 will bend and be disposed within the lower compartment 8 and the tubing 33 will bend and lie within a groove 35 formed in the adjacent portion of the door 7. An air space is provided intermediate the outer portion of the door 7 and the water chambers 32 and this air space communicates with the interior of compartments 8 by means of air vents or passageways 36 whereby a continuous fresh supply of air will be supplied thereto.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will be readily apparent that I provide a refrigerator in which the use of refrigerants or ice is dispensed with and one which will immediately lower the temperature within the compartments when set in operation and maintain the temperature at a low level during the entire operation of the blower 15.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A refrigerator of the class described comprising a casing, a compartment within the casing, a water chamber surrounding the compartment, an air space surrounding the water chamber, a sand chamber surrounding the air space and insulating the same from the casing, a blower for circulating air through the air space, and hydraulic means for operating said blower, said hydraulic means supplying water to the water chamber and to the sand chamber to maintain the sand therein in a. moist condition.

2. A refrigerator of the class described comprising a casing, a plurality of compartments disposed therein, a plurality of tubular stay bolts maintaining the compartments in spaced relation and providing air passages connectin the compartments, a water jacket surroun ing the compartments and in communication with the space between said compartments, an air space surrounding the water jacket, and tubular stay bolts spacing the uppermost and lowermost compartment from the water jacket and providing air passageways communicating with said air space.

3. A refrigerator of the class described comprising a casing, a plurality of compartments disposed therein, a plurality of tubular stay bolts maintaining the compartments in spaced relation and providing air passages connecting the compartments, a water jacket surrounding the compartments and in communication with the space between said compartments, an air space surrounding the water jacket, tubular stay bolts spacing the uppermost and lowermost compartment from the water jacket and providing air passageways communicating with said air space, and means for circulating air through said air space and through the compartments by way of the air passageways provided by said tubular stays.

4. A refrigerator of the class described comprising a casing having one side opening, a compartment therein having its side adjacent the open side open, a door for closing the casing and compartment, a water chamber surrounding the compartment, an

air space surrounding the Water chamber, a water chamber in said door and in communication with the water chamber surrounding the compartment, an air space in said door and in communication with the air space surrounding the first mentioned water chamher, a sand chamber surrounding the first mentioned air space and insulating the same from said casing, a blower for circulating air through the air spaces, and hydraulic means for operating said blower, said hydraulic means supplying water to said Water chambers and to said sand chamber to maintain the sand therein in a moist condition.

5. A refrigerator of the class described comprising a casing, a plurality of compartments disposed therein, a plurality of tubular stay bolts maintaining the compartments in spaced relation and providing air passages connecting the compartments, a water jacket surrounding the compartments and in communication with the space between said compartments, an air space surroundingthe water jacket, tubular stay bolts spacing the uppermost and lowermost compartment from the Water jacket and providing air passages communicating with said air space, a blower for circulating air through said air passages and air space, and hydraulic means for operating said blower, said hydraulic means supplying water to said water jacket.

6. A refrigerator of the class described comprising a casing, a plurality of compartments disposed therein, a plurality of tubular stay bolts maintaining the compartments in spaced relation and providing air passages connecting the compartments, a water jacket surrounding the compartments and in communication with the space between said compartments, an air space surrounding the water jacket, tubular stay bolts spacing the uppermost and lowermost compartment from the water jacket and providing air passages communicating with said air space, a sand chamber surrounding said air space and insulating the latter from said casing, a blower for circulating air through said air passages and air space, and hydraulic means for operating said blower, said hydraulic means supplying water to said water jacket and to said sand chamber to maintain the sand therein in a moist condition.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature.

FERDINAND KOBER. 

